Windshield Replacement Arizona

A vehicles windshield provides the occupants a barrier from road debris and the outside elements. But most people don’t know a windshield is designed for structural safety in case of an accident, especially a rollover. A windshield is a vehicles third most important safety feature behind the seat belts, and air bags.

Windshields are like basketball backboards for air bags. So if you have a damaged windshield your air bag may not function correctly. It actually may inflate out the windshield cavity, rather than towards you. Or it won’t adsorb any pressure because your windshield simply pushes out.

Most consumers are not aware that when technicians replace your windshield, there is significant scratching to the “pinchweld” where the glass bonds to the car. These scratches must be prepped using paint and rust prevention steps. They should not simply leave exposed scratches where moisture from the exterior side can cause rust to develop.

2. Here are some questions you should ask your auto glass company:

Is the new glass OEM?

Did they remove the brand label on the windshield?

Does the new glass have a shade band that matches your old glass?

Is the new windshield the same color glass? (glass is actually colored, not clear)

Does your windshield have a rain sensor?

Is your windshield heated? (companies will install non-heated and charge for heated)

Does the windshield have the right bracket for your rear view mirror?

Does the new windshield have the same third visor as your old glass? (the painted black design which you can see around the rear view mirror on most cars)

Are they using a universal trim molding, or the actual trim molding part for your vehicle?

Does the company pay to fix paint scratches, if made by the auto glass technician?

Always inspect a piece of glass for scratches and distortion before it’s installed.

3. Types of Automotive Glass

A windshield is actually two layers of glass with a laminate material between the layers, what is called “laminated glass”. Laminated glass is extremely hard to puncture or break apart. That’s why a large object like a stunt man, can impact the windshield without breaking through. The strength of laminated glass combined with proper adhesion of the windshield to the body of the car provides massive strength against the roof collapsing in a rollover.

All of the other windows in your vehicle are “tempered glass”, which means they break into tiny fragments to reduce injury to the occupants. (a small fraction of vehicles have laminated side and rear windows also)

4. Windshield Urethane

Today’s vehicles use urethane as the adhesive to bond the windshield to the vehicle, like a glue. Some urethane after complete hardening which can take 2-4 weeks, can hold 500 pounds per square inch of pressure. That’s one reason why you could never simply push your windshield out. Impossible! Some urethane allows you to drive away within one hour after installing the windshield, hardening just enough to withstand vehicle accidents. When your replacement has been completed, make sure to inspect the inside of your vehicle around the edge of the glass. Make sure no urethane has oozed out into view or onto your vehicles interior. This is more common then people realize and needs to be fixed immediately before the glue hardens!

You can always find out what you need by calling your local dealer and giving them your VIN Identification number from your vehicle. If your car is important to you and you want to maintain the investment, always call your local dealer and ask for advice about your specific vehicle.

5. Windshield Shade Bands and Windshield Color

All auto glass has a shaded color. No windshields are completely clear. Typical shading colors are blue, green, bronze, and grey. Be sure sure to get the same color. You will see that all pieces of glass in your vehicle are the same color, excluding privacy glass and tinting.

A windshield may have a shade band across the top near the roof of the vehicle. This area is preferential. You should decide if you like it or not. It does tend to hide the edge of the interiors headliner when looking at the vehicle from the exterior. Shade bands do come in different colors but not all windshields

Most windshields can be ordered without a shade band at all. But you may find the part is actually more expensive because less people order it. Having a shade band does provide some shading in between your sun visors but it does little to drastically shade the sun. Take note the shade band will be darker at night.

6. Exterior Trim and Moldings

Your vehicle may have exterior trim or moldings cover the edge of the glass and/or covering the edge the car body. If the trim molding is just rubber, make sure you know what the technician is using to replace it. Some companies are now requiring that technicians use only a universal type aftermarket molding, rather than one that is specifically designed for your car. There should also be an OEM molding part available which is exactly the same as your original molding. Do note that cost for OEM is always more.

You may see plastic and/or metal trim moldings covering the edge of your windshield on the exterior. Normally these have some type of plastic or metal clips that attach them to the glass or vehicles body. Make sure the company replaces any broken clips or parts from removal of these parts. If your vehicle is older than 3 years, these parts become very brittle and damage easy. You may be warned about parts that always break, in which the company may request you also purchase that part ahead of time. You may find a lot of companies simply glue those parts back into place, rather than replacing the broken parts.

7. Vehicle Windshield Logo and VIN Window

On vehicles like a Ford Mustang and Ford F150, you may have a logo in the third visor above the rear view mirror. These windshields can be ordered with out the logo and are cheaper that way. Make sure you ask about your options.

Most windshields have a small narrow window for viewing of the VIN identification number near the lower drivers side portion of the glass. Make sure this window is in the right location on the glass. When the job is completed, make sure that glue has not covered the VIN, the VIN number plate has not been cut off, or that it has not been badly damaged. Police or the DMV will give you a hard time if the number is not legible or is completely missing from that location.

Tips And Tricks For Windshield Repair And Windshield Replacement

Automotive window replacement can be done by the novice if he or she takes their time and has some instruction. It doesn't require any special knowledge or expensive tools to replace car glass, but it does take patience! Here we will talk about replacing a fixed car glass that is bonded to the car body instead of being set into a removable frame.

If you are going to replace car glass that is not set in a frame, then you will basically have to "cut" the old glass out of the car. This procedure requires a few inexpensive tools that are often not in a common tool collection. You need a piece of piano wire to use as a saw, and a couple of inexpensive suction cup handles to lift out the old glass (if it is still in one piece) and to place the new glass into position without touching the edges of the glass.

The first step is to remove any molding that goes around the window. Molding can be attached in several different ways. It may be attached with some sort of clips, glued on, or may be just pushed onto a lip on the car body. This is one place where factory service information comes in handy! Some glass is flush-mounted with the exterior surface of the body and does not have any molding to remove. You also may need to remove one or more trim panels inside the car. Before starting to cut out the broken car window, apply tape to the car body all the way around the window to protect the paint. Next, use an awl to create a hole through the adhesive between the glass and the body. Then push a piece of piano wire through the hole, grab a helper to work the other end of the wire, and use a sawing motion to cut the adhesive all the way around the window. Once you have completely sawn all the way around the broken car window, use the suction cup handles to pull the glass out of the car body.

After the new adhesive has been applied and any recommended curing times have been observed, use the suction cup handles to install the new glass into position. Evenly press the glass into the adhesive until it is fully seated all the way around. Do not disturb the vehicle for several hours according to the adhesive instructions, and then be careful not to slam the doors and or drive on any excessively rough roads for several days until the adhesive has had time to fully bond with both surfaces.

That covers the general procedure for auto glass installation. Automotive window replacement can certainly be done by a driver that doesn't have any experience or training in this area, but some jobs are definitely easier than others! If this procedure doesn't sound like something you want to tackle yourself, there certainly isn't any shame in taking your car to an auto glass shop for a replacement, and most shops will even come to your home or workplace to do it for you.

Auto Glass Replacement Arizona

How Does Arizona Windshield Replacement Work?

Auto Glass Repairs Explained:

Broken windshields can be a major pain in Arizona. From chips and cracks to complete spiderwebs, damaged auto glass is a serious issue no matter the extent of the problem. That’s because even tiny dings and splits in your windshield can grow into vision-obscuring messes. However, windshield replacement in Arizona isn’t the only solution when you have damaged auto glass. Smaller flaws can actually be repaired invisibly to restore both strength and an unobstructed view to your windshield. Here’s how it works.

The first step to any windshield repair is an evaluation of the damage. The chip or crack should be examined for size and depth as well as location to determine whether it is a candidate for repair. Most flaws up to 6 inches long can be fixed with the typical resin auto glass repair. However in Arizona, keep in mind that this type of solution only works when just the top layer of glass is fractured. Modern windshields are composed of two layers of glass with a rubber membrane laminated in between; the repair can only resolve issues with the first layer of glass, so if both layers are damaged, or you have a hole that goes all the way through, it’s time to start learning about windshield replacement, not repairs. Also, some cracks that are around the perimeter of the windscreen can be difficult or impossible to correct, so make sure that the damage is located in a repairable place.

Once you’ve determined that the window glass can be repaired, the fix itself is relatively easy. Taking approximately 30 minutes, windshield chip repair is both simple and affordable. Using a special, sunlight-cured resin, the auto glass shop technician will inject the epoxy directly into the chip or crack using specialized tools. This completely fills the damage and ensures a smooth finish. The resin dries completely clear, helping the repair blend in to the surrounding windshield and almost totally hiding where the problem was. Natural sunlight dries the windshield crack repair to a waterproof, strong state that reinforces the windscreen and dependably prevents the crack or chip from ever spreading. Windshield replacement offers a reliable solution for both sturdiness and aesthetics.

Windshield repairs are also super convenient, as most auto glass shops can actually come to you. Because the resin cures in sunlight and the special tools used to apply it are quite portable, you won’t have to take your car or truck into the shop to have it fixed. Instead, technicians can be sent to you for mobile glass repair right in your driveway or even your workplace’s parking lot.

The best time to get a cracked windshield repaired is right now. Substantial research data shows that warm temperatures, cold temperatures, temperature shifts, and even rough road surfaces and speed bumps are all likely to exacerbate your car window glass’s damage. Remember, windshield crack repair only works for fissures up to 6 inches long, so if you put off calling the auto glass shop, the crack may grow to the point where windshield replacement is your only option. Save yourself the hassle and the money by bringing in an auto glass repair pro today to take a look. Providing structural support and practically invisible performance, resin car window repairs can help get your windshield back to first-class condition quickly and affordably.

Windshield Replacement - The Ultimate Guide

To understand the importance of auto glass replacement services, it is vital to understand a car accident scenario. More so, windshield replacement is important to ensure the safety of driver and the passengers against wind, road debris, rain or any other harsh climatic conditions.

In this article, we will discuss some useful facts related to safety and maintenance aspects of auto glass replacement. Go through the points discussed below.

SafetyAuto service professionals are known to come with deep knowledge of the products as well as your vehicle. They are trained how to make best use of adhesives which are meant to secure the windshield to the vehicle frame. They know how to detect and treat corrosion to prevent future issues due to the bond between the vehicle frame and windshield.

If you find yourself in the need of a professional auto glass repair services provider, quality and safety should be your major concerns. In other words, you should go through the entire features and capabilities of leading service experts and go with the one that suits you the best. A qualified service provider is known to be current with all safety standards and advancements for all kinds of repair or replacement work needed in a vehicle.

With 5.1% of windshields being damaged and requiring replacement each year in the United States, it is important to know what to look for in an auto glass service technician. The first thing that must be stated about choosing a qualified technician may be somewhat cliché. However, it is important to remember that you do get what you pay for, and windshield replacement is highly germane to this point.

Ask Questions

When selecting an auto glass service provider, start by simply asking questions. Find out if the technician is NGA (National Glass Association) certified to be professionally competent in his line of work. Ask if the technician uses the auto manufacturer' recommended products. Also find out if the technician has agreed to meet the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS). Above all, be sure the technician intends to provide you with sufficient information regarding all things pertinent. The technician should provide you with some dos and don'ts, such as how much time should be allowed for the bond to cure before the vehicle is safe to drive.

Although it may sound a bit excessive, make sure the windshield is perfectly centered on the vehicle. A misplaced windshield will not provide a structurally sound passenger compartment in the event of a collision or rollover. Also inspect the weather stripping to ensure it fits tightly against the vehicle's body with no bumps, waves, or gaps. If the replacement windshield on your vehicle is not completely bonded to the vehicle, the windshield may become detached in the event of an accident, leading to even greater chance of serious injury or death.